Civic Crown: What was it and Why did the Romans award it?
The Civic Crown, also known as the Corona Civica in Latin, was a prestigious military decoration awarded by the ancient Romans. Made from oak leaves and acorns, the honor was...
Category: Ancient Rome
Theodosius I: The Anti-Pagan Roman Emperor who made Christianity the Official State Religion
About half a century after Constantine the Great (reign: 306-337) began repressing pagans in the military colony of Aelia Capitolina (i.e. Jerusalem), Emperor Theodosius I (reign: 379-395) turned up the...
Mithraism: History and Major Facts about this Mystery Cult in the Roman Empire
Mithraism was a mystery religion that originated in the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD and was dedicated to the worship of the god Mithras. First developing on the...
Sol Invictus: The Unconquered Sun Deity in Ancient Roman Religion
In the later Roman Empire, the worship and cult of the Roman god Sol Invictus became prominent. Revered as the patron deity of the sun, he was worshiped as a...
Why did Roman Emperor Constantine the Great convert to Christianity?
After more than three centuries of ruthlessly persecuting Christians across the empire, the Roman Emperor witnessed a huge change. Emperor Constantine the Great (reign: 306-337) broke away from his predecessors’...
Julius Caesar’s Conquest of Gaul: History, Significance & Other Important Facts
Generally revered as one of history’s greatest military generals, Julius Caesar is best known for his conquest of the vast region of Gaul and later becoming dictator of Rome. His...
How and when did Rome conquer Greece?
Ancient Rome’s conquest of Greece did not happen overnight; rather, it was one that occurred over a period of several years, beginning around the early 3rd century BC and culminating...
Elagabalus: The 14-Year-Old Who Became One of Rome’s Most Unpopular Emperors
In 222 AD, the very powerful and influential imperial guard of the Roman emperors carried out a vicious assassination of teenage Roman Emperor Elagabalus. The young emperor, who took the...
Praetorian Guard: Origin Story, Formation, Influence, Assassination Plots, & Demise
The Praetorian Guard was established with the purpose of protecting the emperor of the Roman Empire with undying loyalty. But as time went on, it appeared their powers went beyond...
Claudius: The Roman Emperor who conquered Britannia
Emperor Claudius was the fourth Roman emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, but his rise to power was very different from that of his predecessors for no one imagined him ever...
Who were the Five Good Emperors and What were their Major Accomplishments?
For many centuries, the Roman Empire had its fair share of rulers. However, not all of them excelled at leading the empire. While some of them ruled fairly, many of...
Emperor Trajan: History, Reign, Accomplishments, & Notable Military Campaigns
Emperor Trajan: Fast Facts Born: Marcus Ulpius Traianus Reign: 98- 117 AD Dynasty: Nerva-Antonine Predecessor: Nerva Successor: Hadrian Born: September 18, 53 AD Place of birth: Italica, Hispania Died: August...
Aeneas: The legendary Trojan hero who founded Rome
In ancient Greek and Roman mythologies, Aeneas was recognized as a gallant Trojan warrior and founder of Rome, respectively. The son of a mortal and goddess, Aeneas could be described...
Pax Romana: What was it and how long did it last?
Given Rome’s chaotic history of conflicts, it seems nearly impossible to believe that the republic, and later empire, spent 200 years of stability and relative peace. But that was exactly...
Life and Major Accomplishments of Nerva, the first of the Five Good Emperors
Marcus Cocceius Nerva was a Roman emperor who ruled from 96-98 AD. He came to the throne after the assassination of Emperor Domitian by the very powerful Praetorian Guard. Nerva’s...
